new culture. so you are not a visitor, not the guests. you want to become a citizen. in phil migrants, your platform for reliable information ah ah moscow. thus he is off to the collapse of the soviet union on the banks of the moscow river, the gleaming towers of a new business district stretching to the sky, presenting a confident picture of the new russia a short distance away above the crime. then the red star, if the soviet union still glimmers and it red square in the mostly em lice, the leader of the october revolution of 1917. vladimir. each man in the long lines in front of the mausoleum may have disappeared. but the kremlin has remained the center of power with, ah, it is led by vladimir putin, the president of the russian federation. he rules over a country that even without the former soviet republics, is still the largest in the wild. russia in the kremlin, a new government has long since taken over. but across the country, the old symbols are as powerful as ever. the legacy of the former soviet union is a complex one. the soviet empire covered a thick that the earth's surface and was home to 218000000 people. the collapse of this giant superstate in 1991 was an event unprecedented in history. a superpower abolished itself. since then, 15 new states, a few struggling to find that place in the wilder son of gravitated towards western europe, while others looked to china. but all are defined by their relationship to russia. instead of the right soviet banner to day, the russian flag flies over the kremlin with the collapse of the soviet union brought hopes of independence and prosperity for the former soviet republics as well. but what remains of these dreams? what to this new freedom look like? which old conflict? the flat up again? who is one who has lost? and what role does russia play in this post soviet power struggle or moscow today. at 1st glance, the russian capital looks much like any western metropolis. consumerism is in that even in wealthy moscow. the sophia chapter of history is still not fully closed. the past has left a deep impression leading many to ask what was good in sophia times, and what has changed for the better ah no lo nestor, everyone believed that things would continue to get better. would it total culture because of democracy? right? yeah. ah armenia, the smallest of the former soviet republics no longer even shares a border with russia at the military cemetery and the capital yerevan. u graves are constantly being added. they bear witness to ongoing war and suffering raging for decades between armenia and as a by john. both sides lay claim to the region of not gone. o' caraballo with its majority armenian population. fighting over this mountain enclave goes back to sophia times. when gone battles and pogroms on both sides cost countless lives. for those caught up in the war, the scars run div of it of venice young and his son gave. org or armenians who live and not gone oak harbor. they were soldiers like their friend friar of c panel. yet they are also civilians. of it runs a sports school. his son studies confusing and their friend is a businessman. the most recent fighting entered and defeat in part because as a by john received military support from turkey. the prospects of peace with that as a by johnny neighbors has never seemed more remote than it does to day evoke out of food for thought out. but they doesn't live during the 44 day watch. no western country took any concrete measures to help us go good coach their market. also, then the russian army entered to reach us. we'll salgado her with the help of the russians. john with the war was stopped, but they love mac allan. this with the was hone in the summer of 2021. a french al ceasefire is in place between our media and as a by john. like here at this border control point, it is monitored by russian peacekeepers. last year as a by john, we captured significant parts. if not go, no quarterback. armenia was forced to feed the last territory. these 3 armenians meet every day to play chess. they remember the soviet era, and if long since grown weary of war mode dish funny. 30 years ago we took their land. now they've taken it back. but he said lit me at the gym to virginia. if the russians hadn't come, they would have slaughtered us of nevada. is it new bob vasquez lemming, low mosquito. oh, because you know what? freedom is to blame it. them not for every one was calling for it. so i would do it all began with colonel box independence, era, lasting peace is still a distant prospect. the people who consider themselves armenian, the country's flag, is always present. driving with gog leon into the war zone. he is the mayor of a small border village. just museum otto, whose missouri were about to enter a village where the azerbaijani and armenians size are not directly facial challenge, prostate bombs, today, it is peaceful one year ago. this was the front line where gunfire was exchanged with beyond the region itself. this won't barely righteousness despite it lasting for the past 3 decades on your external border with the numbers this new dark, bizarre bus during the daytime choose it safe head hurts. but i'm still with them today, but at night it's dangerous enough. there are people living the lighter with that company to external up locally will be right to make sure nothing bad happens. we do what's that? we have to monitor the area for them. yes. no minus thought. yeah, i know much villages go to work in the day it done and at night mode they keep watch this or that on the border with the result was there. there as if by gene is everywhere. some a little bit of spare, but there's a certain, literally just an old church in the middle of the was on the azerbaijani of the shiite muslims. while the armenians practice christianity, their respective religions are an important part of our national identity. and one reason for the decades old conflict in the visual, and there's no rush to mirabelle spoke. we're in a burglary. these are the people here. she's like, they just want to live in peace. her bus, one of our daughter to harper armenia, is a small country covering just 30000 square kilometers on the journey from the border to yet. yvonne, the capital is not fine for months of it of venice young has been bringing his son to the hospital here given was badly injured in the war. but instead on account the capital of not going oh, caravan longtime calf, a wounded sanchez is not available at the carrollton benson again, we dallas and i was injured on the 21st of october last year by a cluster board of ed and order. it was the very 1st day that these weapons were deployed to ceo. oh i sent me the other bombs exploded in the air and the shrapnel hit me in the head and the back back on may the top for oh, golfing i am off to the hospital, father and son visit the cemetery together. the last heavy fighting in 2024 thousands more soldiers loose. i lives. many of them still very young. my belly, even adults. oh no, i was physical just because they're no longer in this well doesn't mean they are no longer with us. as long as we are alive, so of a, the conflict in the caucasus has had far reaching consequences. nato member turnkey supports the muslim nation of azerbaijan. france, however, is on the side of the armenians. russia is attempting to remain neutral. after all, moscow values good relations with the oil rich as a by john this is not how the armenians imagined that freedom and independence 30 years ago 15 sophia's republics became independent states. one day, part of sophia territory. the next foreign countries with cut most of us, but you might grains of how can you see ukrainians, but a russian is or armenians as foreigners. and these places as foreign countries, e. it's very difficult. and russia of foreign policy expertise in regard to post soviet space is very weak, that even the experts acknowledge this expertise. this sounds strange and paradoxical with which they were part of the same country for so many years. a complex legacy. despite the dissolution, the old dependencies continue to exist. the entire infrastructure of roads and railways, power lines, and oil and gas pipelines was built according to the needs of the soviet union and its centralized power base and moscow. the institute of economics at the academy of sciences is examining the relationships to moscow as they were, and as they are now roseland greenback is the institute director. this long time confidant of mikhail gorbachev has reached a simple conclusion. be my dfcs that i have to understand that all states of the posts of your region have one single principle when it comes to that relationship with russia. and it's been this way for 30 years, achieving a maximum of economic advantage from russia only while having a minimum of political obligations manual. pretty sure, beside the soviet union was formed in 1922, the joining together of the union republics. voluntarily. at least this is how it was framed and the constitution that the right to secede from the union had never been tried in practice and certainly not withdrawal of all its members. but in 1991 . that is what happened. the country dissolved into its constituent parts. the west looked on amazed at the rapid disintegration and 25000000 russians were left in shock. they suddenly found themselves inhabitants of other countries, compounded by the uncertainty of whether they would be accepted, barris, citizens, opium, now to keep the homes and land. mm. let us, le baylof is the director at the center of german studies. he is no political ally of latter may oppose him, but he agrees with the president's claim that the fall of the soviet union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century. ready moore's neglect. yes sir. yes. one can agree with his statement, which if by geo politics you primarily mean the interests of certain people, william mila. and if we consider the fates of millions of those who g at the unconstitutional, i repeat, unconstitutional dissolution that the ussr found themselves trapped behind the borders of the country in which they thought they lived linear. though i'm talking about 25000000 russian speaking citizens who over night, woke up to find themselves living in another country. at fuss, there were attempts to rebuild the ruins, following the collapse of the soviet union. the tall right panis in saint petersburg, was to become the seat of the commonwealth of independent states, a loose organisation of the former soviet republics. however, the 3 baltic states, georgia and ukraine withdrew, who chose not to participate. and the commonwealth of the remaining states exists only on paper. no summits have been held and yes, the c i s, has no power yet, hartman god walks the university of ins, broke in austria. and is one of the west's most renowned russia experts. he also sees the c, i ask, as a failed attempt to continue the legacy of the soviet union over mondanca in moscow. although in moscow, on the yeltsin, there was certainly the expectation that some kind of confederation would be possible of them. but as the armenian president said, at the time of this confederation of independent states was more like a vehicle for an amicable divorce. i don't want to swap, and indeed that's what it was. it's incredible, but this association still exists to h t, at least on paper, yet because no one wants to kill the baby as it were by dissolving the organization entirely such, but it simply has no practical political significance anymore. she told me the baltic states played a special role, estonia, latvia, lithuanian with a 1st to break away from the soviet union and successfully pursue that own path. that relationship to russia is. ready county how near the lithuanian capital the feeling platform of the tv tower is a popular attraction. from here one can see how the city has changed. in the last 20 years alone, around 50000 new apartments have been belt. more than anywhere else in the baltic states. ready in the center is the country's parliament. since independence it is known again as the famous bruce lana spot or no of us is a philosophy graduate at wax for an m p of the social democrat party. massive barometer ramos, i'm guy, we've integrated into the european union and the west and our living standards have increased. the borders were opened up for us, and many lithuanians emigrated to western europe. but at the same time, our main problem is inequality problems to work in the quality of incomes, unequal opportunities given in 30 years ago. it's elena was home to 3700000 inhabitants. but then the exit us again, 900000 lithuanian last the country, young people, especially most to some well educated and went to find work in the west. a huge problem for the small republic. despite this, the capital and the country as a whole, has embraced the modern world. and your economic growth has long been around. 3 percent. and lithuania has one of the best fiberglass internet networks and all of europe. but lithuanians also have a strong sense of national history and identity. these hunters in apartment recall the independence movement of 1989 psycho study. our history is our guide. and many things that are going on in society now are linked to our past upgrade to mit. the goal of our security and foreign policy is to make sure that history does not repeat itself. is that a good number sticker thought? lithuania has long felt part of the west, an exhibition about the so called forest brothers partisans who fought against the soviet occupation until 1953 is currently on display. at the same us, the younger generation can take democracy for granted. immediate passcode she might a studied educational science in germany, but vilnius has remained her home. i shook my could have been built. yeah, this is so was i was talking about this with my grandparents just yesterday or it is that we were discussing what we have gained after 30 years of independence if bigger and my grandparents said, just one thing we salinas, my mom that we can express our opinions freely that we live in a free country, monarch and i see my generation and young people in general are often told, even my parents say this, that we don't know what freedom is, because we've never lived in a country without freedom. we can't appreciate what freedom means life, because we can just get home with our lives and believe this is normal, it wants to to and this is probably true here. go. the united jasa, emil belongs to an organization that wants to influence the political discourse. in lithuania, yeah, nemo debit high youth debate now the magenta boy. yes. the oregon that said to market through iowa, karen lithuania, and we organized programs that are supported by the european union. so every day i am living in the valleys of the european union. i consider myself to be more if i'm allowed to say this, yet a citizen of urine, me that the was a, this is free lithuanian ties to the west of the coming closer every year. in 2004, the country joined nato, along with its baltic neighbors, estonia and lapierre and 4 other members of the former eastern bloc. responding in miscellaneous, now makes op around 2 percent of g. d. p. in 2021. nato. carried out exercises here, reflecting that deep mistrust of russia, another legacy of the soviet era. but the baltic countries a home to a large russian minority who do not want to give up their identity. roslyn us knows this while his own father is russian manager merchant. and ruth, i think russian influence today takes on a more hybrid form such as influence over television at that which a lot of people in lithuania, still watch it. and over the internet at the voice that internet, for many people are, russian is the only foreign language they know record. and so if they want any information beyond what's provided by lithuanian tv and website, so they'll go straight to the russian platform, scissors dog, america, national park valley, lithuania, cease russia as a potential aggressor and is counting on support from nato. the european union. ah, in moscow, there is little sympathy for this position. not even at the influential and critical journal garcia for global nie political. russia in global affairs, is to be able, by the outcome of leer, if i were polish or from one of the baltic countries soccer. i might also see things that way music was my thoughts on line, but when you look at it from a rational perspective, it's not at all clear why russia would attack poland or the baltic states. what would it achieve? g at on the idea that russia wants to test nato's readiness, decrease, and thereby approve. it's incapability is in my opinion, complete fantasy monopoly in our stern as possible. nick, our soap is, of course we don't agree with nato on us, but no one he wants to risk another world war just to test nato. so what will be the point doesn't exist anymore. guten is nevertheless demonstrating rushes military strength by carrying out its own maneuvers on the board as to the nato countries. tension is building on both sides military marches in front of the kremlin. the message russians should be proud of their army while the west and nato should be deterred the country is a fortress under siege cesspools and throwing up. so it's people must stand together, you know, order move. last year, russia spent 4.3 percent of its g, d, p on its military, vomiting a incident under yelton. the army was humiliated, insulted, under financed, and its soldiers left to starve. fall when putting came to power in 2000. it was suddenly paradise on earth, there was peace and happiness in europe. and today we have astronomy and military careers are desirable. again, this is all part of the propaganda. the imperial mindset of the former soviet union persists in russia to day legitimized, through the victory of the red army over hitler's germany and the 2nd world war 27000000 dead. the great patriotic was the russians call. it has left its mark on almost every family among russians, but also ukrainians, bella, russians, cossacks, and kick us. these memories also shape to day society riviera door for my garage than you really this believe that we russians are a significant power one that can push back against hostile pressure and hostile influences from the outside world. this is an important part of our collective identity with juvenile assessment, and like this belief in the soviet union and russia's unique authority chip, and that we are a special civilization see that we are so way through eliza. this compensates for the feelings of dependence, poverty and humiliation is i mean that people have in their private lives senior, a chill eric of just lasers. now, what might seem strange for western visitors is for russians completing almost a mural of gay oak? he shook of the great 2nd world war commander proudly overlooking an inner city shopping street. this modern day veneration of what i'm heroes sends another message. never again, will this once glorious army present, such a shameful image to the world, as it did after the collapse of the soviet union. ah, today russia is showing its strength again, investing in new atomic weapons. the military industrial complex established in sophia ties is now experiencing a renaissance with the country as a whole is paying a heavy price. he preaches futile. the buy and even political leadership is making the mistake of believing that a 21st century superpower one needs only to, to find itself militarily. wilson, east and russia is only a superpower in military terms, yet not economically, not financially, not technologically, and not demographically, off. the purchasing power of the russian people is increasing at a slower rate than or less anywhere in europe. still some slight growth is currently predicted for the russian economy that is mainly due to high commodity prices. rushes companies simply not innovative enough. there is bally any investment in infrastructure. many of the countries transport arteries are in a state of disrepair. yes, as it is a foot its lithium dollars, the stitch, i regret that we have not been able to achieve an economic miracle of a kind to seen in china as berkeley in for at least in terms of transport infrastructure up here. we still only have one most away run from moscow to st. petersburg wellness. it's an embarrassment. let's touch them. august. 3rd of our main transport route towards the east connecting moscow with beijing is still being rebuilt. it's an embarrassment under must quote on our moscow. well, yes, moscow has changed, but yeah, but as you, but i expect to see this all over russia. that is the roads and the infrastructure to be improved across the country. and you switch to the indians with the money has disappeared. but nothing has been built. genia is chism. now russia is looking for strong partners all the more so, since relations with western europe have cooled. mm. russia and china are working together on the huge inter continental projects known as the new silk road, opes the high for large prophets and grace. sheena gripe, giggles. china is pursuing a very cautious policy towards russia by not actively letting russia feel that it's the junior partner, at least in economic and financial matters. because historically, china has always been and still is afraid that russia can easily switch sides and align itself with the west and i city band, this should be prevented at all costs. keena dismissed him and putting the hinden. russia has refocused its attention on central asia in order to secure its traditional sphere of influence. the central asian republics have welcome this enlarge part as a counterweight to china. there increasingly dominance neighbor. yet the opposite is true in ukraine, where the majority of the country looks to the west rather than the east. of all the former soviet republics. ukraine was probably the best place to make a success of its independence. but to day the country finds itself in crisis. president, viola demille zalinski, has failed to fulfill his people's hopes for peace and prosperity. ukraine today is the most corrupt country in europe, making a formal alliance with western europe extremely difficult. the country is deeply divided, while people and western ukraine overwhelmingly support joining nato and the european union. the east of the country feels a strong connection with russia, especially in new hunts and donetta regions industrialized during the soviet era, known as don bass was home to protests against the national government in key f. a pro russian minority took issue with the ukranian state, propelled my fears that they would be discriminated against in a western leaning nationalist ukraine. ethic russians make up a large minority of the population. 8000000 out of 42000000 citizens with backing from russia. these protests turned into a separatist on pricing. a civil war at a sat the whole of europe on edge and shows no signs of obeying. debussy could unable crane's consort kasanya dumbass was never ukrainian in terms of language and traditions. my mama's lost, my mother comes from easton, ukraine. oh, she comes from the zeppelin. she and cossacks who settled along the don for the appraisal. when i visited her village is a 5 year old meeting, but i didn't understand a word yet. that was from your boss. so who am i exactly, eco, papa was my mother's ukrainian. my father is russian papoulias for my wife's parents is the other way around. that is to remember, my mother in law comes from western ukraine, a 100 percent still pro zappa, yet sca but, but her husband is russian. so of bob who away of associates to know her little ski cool man. in 2014, the crimean peninsula or in southern ukraine, became the scene of an escalation in the russian ukrainian conflicts. to day russia claims crimea as a part of its federation. a huge new branch is being built to connect the peninsula to the russian mainland. it's intended to send a message to the wild. we have taken back crimea. it's a show of strength towards former soviet states demonstrating what happens if they turn against russia. orchestrated by moscow, the overwhelmingly ethnic russian population had already elected a separatist parliament. this led to the annexation of the territory by russia. what western europe soar as a flagrant breach of international law was presented by russia as a free decision by the majority of people in crimea at the berlin a stay she away. but this was a real election of thought i'd made. probably not, everything was carried out in line with international law robin the boss suit you saw, but this was not a military occupation by in them. it was not an annexation law. it was a declaration of will by the people, a bull of will is usually india roused on. in russia, it is hard to find any one who does not consider crimea to be a part of russian territory. a new russian patriotism has taken hold. 30 years after the fall of the soviet union for some perhaps, or so encouraged by memories of its former greatness. well by chance, and we were a large country, we still are a large country. well, that's just a fact. thank you. made i did look again, that's where my parents fell in love and everything positive that they associate with their lives back then they also associate with the soviet union in the faith. so you just like this in the soviet union, people were tracked. none of those empower promised one thing. they did something completely different. underwear, glue, pushing roster. it was a very simplistic idea of what the future would bring. good when you so we will drive out the communists. the communists will disappear and a new life will be possible. i was a better lighter than will so sure. her roses, every one thought that the good parts of socialism which used to be would remain pretty bias. and that these benefits would be supplemented by 2 new aspects i study . but firstly, consumer choices, cuba and secondly, freedom, it was very and that together road would be perfect happiness, air durable nation. the transition from a socialist command economy to a capitalist market economy was abrupt and came almost without warning. honor room, yon is to day a successful business consulted for her what occurred back then was akin to shock therapy and those law. and that all you have to understand that we've been living inside the soviet system, the right to private ownership was not recognized. even today we have a very specific relationship to property rights and entrepreneurship in russia. so imagine what it was like then the fact that the people who had been concerned with completely different matters, like science or culture. and then suddenly forced to become more decided to become business owners, right? because they wanted to somehow live and survive. privatization was a part of the shock therapy, or b, the privatization was chaotic and forced through without regard the consequences. at the end of the 19 ninety's, russia was plunged into a major economic crisis. for older people in particular, memories of this time a painful the rubel was dramatically de valued. g d p harvest child mortality rose to frightening new levels. and life expectancy was shorter than in the 3rd world war, compounded by unprecedented corruption at the highest levels of power. i guess, huntington alden de mason, all small vol. this discredited the concept of democracy and the very term democracy in the eyes of most russians. it is a marson, fast democracy almost became a dirty word due to the experience his people had with the transition to a supposedly democratic system during the 19 ninety's touch on, you seen english hall and even today. thus we see surveys from independent institutes again, that suggest only around a 5th of russian people. football would like to live in a western style democracy that pina, this kitchen for pete seen studying. but what ordinary russians think of their country, one of the best known public calling institutes the levant, a center regularly poses this question. the center operates free of state control and is therefore treated with suspicion that miss, but are surely from sale from a school of pity. when at the end of the yellow era, we asked russians what they expected from the next president. most people expressed to host view 1st that the country would find the way out of the economic crisis. news could and achieve an increase in living standards the order when your 1st and 2nd for that or that russia would be restored to a position of superpower that it held during the ussr. fortunate and gluten with his demagogues, his rhetoric for his strengthening of the military and the countries power structures critically seemed ready to fulfill these expectations. southridge shall open a solemn rebellion. vladimir hooton's fast. tom and office began in 2000 and he immediately tightened the reins to the countries powerful oligarchs. he made clear that a new era had arrived. he promised that they would be free to go about their business unhindered and that their companies would not be re nationalized in return . they would grant him that unwise myles here his message was this. stay out of politics and i will leave you in peace. most russians applauded this and the current ruling party achieves its political aims much like the old communist party did through domination because they needed up. it's like the old joke that was going around on the yellow sentinel, whichever party we create, what people will always end up with the communist record. so the esna will turn it on the other hand, no, the russian political establishment of the russian power structure is much more flexible than the soviet one theme of life gentlemen logo, but it is capitalized, more soviets on a capitalistic. but not only russia has a highly centralized authoritarian government and take belarus, nestled between russia, the european union due to their shad history and related languages. beller. lewis was always a reliable ally for russia. even the national flag makes no secret of the country's close ties to its soviet past. only the hammer, sickle and star have been replaced reminders of the soviet union, the ubiquitous, both in the capital minns and across the country. the country's economy is centrally controlled with a mixture of private and state ownership, an absence of democratic structures and high levels of media, censorship of and it international condemnation. since 1994 bedrooms has been ruled continuously by the autocrat, alexander lucas shanker, a one time soviet political officer since his reelection in 2020 opposition to his government has become louder. hundreds of thousands of bell russians have taken to the streets, demanding democracy and bookish enclosed resignation. in kazakhstan, to a precedent with autocratic tendencies, has ruled for many years, yet with other and for russia more favourable conditions. thanks to its oil and gas supplies. cassock storm is the richest country in the region. it's long saving form . alida no, so latan, nasa by have was a member of the pony bureau of the communist policy in soviet times on my context on the once poor soviet republics of was pakistan, kyrgyzstan took medicine and touchy kissed on initially struggled with that new freedom. they were too dependent on the centralized seat of power in moscow. millions of people from the former soviet republics in central asia have come to russia as migrant workers. especially to the cities of moscow and saint petersburg . they work on building sites in the service sector, or in agriculture. people from the caucasus meanwhile, often work as itinerant traitors. their wages are usually the most important source of income for their families back home. most foreign workers come from here. care castanan in the capital, bish heck. life is shaped both by islam and the legacies of the soviet era in a suburb of fish khaki. early in the morning in one of these houses lives rita acre chava. she is a tailor by trade, her husband and 2 of her 5 children live and work in russia. she also spent several years van together with her daughter, so tonight she is taking the bus to work at the market. here rita owns a small shop, a selling lingerie board were savings from her work in russia. beers that i see here because it's almost vazo, it's about the law. i don't believe the case time can survive without russia was in the village with all the former countries of the sea. i should be on friendly terms, said a lot and they should maintain these important links in the future. it's fit. this is becky stan tajikistan castaneda was all of them was a big star projects done because of panels to them. well that's what button christie do i me lu, over 2000000 kick is a russian citizens of and a working man. what do you, my daughter and my son have decided to stay there was this, you know, every family has someone who works in russia. whether it's the husband wife, daughter, or son, was july, the boston debug, which islam in the country is a recently revived legacy of pre sophia times nearby as an imposing russian orthodox church national heroes from centuries past, revered, as are others from the more recent soviet era quickest on has 6 and a half 1000000 inhabitants. 800000 of them are ethnic russians. alongside characters. russian is also an official language here. rita cannot understand why so many of her fellow carriers are embracing his hum. under pressure from muslim man more and more women no longer go out to work. instead excepting to stay at home and be housewives. yogurt sir, it is, let's come say years. you will a work. i think women's rights were better in the soviet union. if women were more e close as bully was a cover to day women and becoming more religious wearing headscarf so fail the storm. i don't like that in the near dodging and about it so they don't have a voice anymore that up for to understand. when you say they haven't no identity, but i'm sure dearly just zation their mortgage has any yet when you call us up when you mesh so you will. yeah. they index the south of the country is home to many was maxim in the past. the have been outbreaks of violence between them and the care guess one reason their differing expressions of religious faith. the prospects tend to follow a very strict interpretation of islam. while the canvas, a more moderate islam, that islam is important for everyone. you to do that because it must be too straight. no, not to straight. really. again, religion, lamasta's, celibacy. the most important thing is our humanity of those are blow religion. my secondary to that mazama, mazama person to day islam is allowed to shine again in kingston. in july about the mom, misty was back a yard madeline. he completed his theology studies back in sylvia times. as a mom, the 66 year old is not only a religious leader, but also a kind of man in his local district. to the yellow house, in my opinion, life in the soviet union was good if you think there was religious freedom and religion was valued in the home of the state, didn't into fair and it respected religious boundaries on either some on or that they didn't monitor us as much and tell us what to do to get a proper religion was preach by that there were no band or terrorist organizations back then. no has been a hobbies or my or santa fists, a mother and we never preached anything that was forbidden, but a really great fall of all those. not a marcella that we taught how to pray correctly, and how the faithful should treat one another 1000 down to them. but to day there are more extremist organizations love and the state must be more careful. asthma. kingston defines itself as a secular state. yet there's no telling how strong an influence a radical form of islam could become here. a mom model, e. f, preaches a moderate interpretation of the faith. every friday, the mosques are full. i'm lather. joviality that with all of them. melinda, i love them that you in the atheist soviet union, the man was a civil servant. darned a monthly salary. to day he owns his income, through the mosques, own bakery and a butcher shop. he receives donations and runs a small farm. even he, the man must head out to the fields after work each day to gather hey, this is the reality of life for a religious leader in kingston. a la yom, underneath misses the soviet union, mal deposit a hammer, but held a, the bike in the soviet union. every one was in court. and as there was an rich and poor were on the same level. in ballard, even i as a mom and 80 roubles, a mother sized law these days worried every one is divided up into rich and poor. do i learn older or the boy gambled about them? back in the capitol mishenko. this moving house is the headquarters of a local n g o. one of the activists is dayonara or sure who nova, these women campaigning for more democracy and against corruption. unless sir sasha daniel caught up sir leicester roach. you may sure what asthma corruption hell has reached new hire to settle to pick what its out of control if i choose. now as the people impala there, in my opinion, yet primarily to enrich themselves and not to govern or to help the country club that they want to turn politics into a business opportunity for themselves is a whole deal business package. for the fact that m, n g o can publicly promote its goals in this way, distinguishes kick as society from other countries in central asia. but dinero, a russian language teacher by profession, wants to get even more involved. she supports the new reform party because she says, there are too few truly democratic parties and kick estin. uh huh. that we bought as such as long as the last elections. there was 78 different parties on the ballot . i think it's only $34.00 or 5 of them, a democratic and liberal yet, and that is concerning camera. that's why such new parties are important part of the bridge. there is a demand for more new parties in our society. i am at the edges of this one's multi ethnic state, the russian army as long seen itself as a guarantor of stability. since the end of the soviet union, these boarder regence have been the sides of van and power, struggles often with the participation of russian troops such as here in the now autonomous, chechen republic chance grew very nervous. but in your mouth, the chechen was we're viewed very negatively by the wider population, both of 1st and the 2nd curse. around 55 to 65 percent of russians. so these was as unjust and felt it important that they should be ended as quickly as possible. the journalist on a political sky had reported for years on the brutality of the chechen war and corruption at the upper levels of the russian army. in october 2006, she was shot dead in front of her moscow apartment block was her assassination ordered by political circles. around the kremlin august the chechen leadership responsible despite trials and sentences handed down. the real masterminds when never identified the killing was seen in russia. as a warning to critics of the regime. yes, the mobile just wanted you to little food. but if we look at the situation clearly and objectively there is ready now, serious opposition and russia fee, the composed major difficulties for the kremlin all be considered a threat. but she needs the principle, live, show strength and crush to sent her that obviously works you but he but they meet liberty hills that'll differ on for a bother. with this principle, recalls the power mechanisms of soviet times in the 1960s, the time homo soviet egless was coined the soviet citizen, defined by conformist values and attitudes. many people in the former soviet republics remained shaped by these fundamental values even to day. mm. was my, after the soviet citizen develop the skills required to survive in a repressive state, in which he learned to deceive the state, but to tolerate its arbitrary judgements, to feign doughty towards it all while taking care of his own problems and trying to survive in his heart and repressive environment, the advent of putin and his authoritarian system was no accidental, but rather a continuation of the soviet regime. good. i guess there is only one real difference to the soviet union. today, the blessing no longer comes from a single all powerful party. putin, the one time member of the communist party, now as the backing of a different authority, the russian orthodox church. the church has no objection to the strengthening of conservative values in russia. 30 years ago, the red flag of the soviet union was taken down from the kremlin. hardly any one objected. wishing to know the rest of the blue, we entered red square, 300 people who had come to speak out against this astonishing decision. absolutely, and there were 287000000 people in the u. s. s. r. i always say, should i say for 1000000 citizens? sure. only a single person showed up to protect the soviet union ah, at the burger, but it was very strange. russia is the largest of the success of states. it is still struggling to find its place between europe and asia ah, in schism. and is the developments of the past 30 years have been confusing and difficult. as a result, yet russia has regained that status as a global political player on that, but at the same time and it's fallen far short of where it could be to day nik. i'm with a more visionary leadership. i'd say, sang cont, western european style democracy is not a model of russia or is trying to emulate by a to more ish to that's why there is such a longing for one's childhood, for the school years for our time and students. but there's not much about the soviet union. so putin was right. what he said, it was, anyone who doesn't mourn the soviet union has no heart. but any one who would go back to what it was has no hat without its yet 30 years later, the dreams of the past have been replaced by new realities. whether the collapse of the soviet union really was a geopolitical catastrophe, or rather a new opportunity that some of its all misstates are being slow to grasp. and the time will tell, ah ah ah, ah, with who greedy and uncompromising or from the street to a steel mill urban art meets the world heritage. international artists have once again transformed the focusing an iron works into a unique art site hero, macs in w. the return of cinema. the 75th time film festival is everything back to normal. welcome to reality. the music documentary film festival. no volley. a portrait of pollutants adversary. important owned timely. 2090 minutes on d. w. o. in. sometimes a seed is all you need to allow the big ideas to grow. we're bringing environmental conservation to life with learning pass like global ideas. we will show you how climate change and environmental conservation is taking shape around the world and how we can all make a difference. knowledge grows through sharing, download it now for free. one of mankind's oldest ambition could be within reach or what is it really is possible to reverse aging researchers and scientists all over the world are in a race against time. the d. n. a molecule though has 28000000 different our glasses . they are peers and rivals with one daring gold to out smart nature. one of the most insightful discoveries in the history of mankind. more life starts may 28th on d, w. mm hm. mm hm. and every man knows of the chinese food that food can do, nothing, movies and we had a lot of programs. they drop over this food because they were eating nothing when it coming from home. that could have easily been us. any one of us, i ah, ah, [000:00:00;00] ah, this is d w use live from booley, declined, says that 2nd largest city is secure once again. ukrainian soldiers clear villages on the outskirts of hockey after russian troops withdrawal. but he cries, president warns of a long drawn out part in the eastern dumbass region. and so coming up, broadcasting from a bunker decline takes its coverage of the eurovision song contest on the ground